Words Of The Blades
by CelesteIzaFanLolz
Summary: Maybe you've thought about being in the Hunger Games. Maybe you convinced yourself that you would win. Maybe you've written so many characters experiences in the games. But you didn't understand. Now you will...
1. Chapter 1

Celeste excitedly squeals as she bounds into her bedroom. Jacie, her sister, is at a sleepover, so Celeste has their whole room to herself. That means she can read all her favorite novels, including the Hunger Games and Harry Potter without Jacie nagging her and insulting the books.

Just as Celeste pulls the Hunger Games off her bookshelf, she hears a noise. She groans loudly, sets the book down, and walks toward the door.

"Yes!" she say through the door crack.

"May I come in?" says her father's light voice. That's odd. Usually Celeste's parents barge into her room without a second thought or even knocking.

"Uh... No?" Celeste say, and she can practically see him rolling his eyes.

"We're watching a movie. Or rather I am. Forget what it's called... Anyways, want to watch?" Celeste purses her lips and puts on a very thoughtful expression.

"Maybe I'll come later," she says with fake enthusiasm.

"Alright," he says, and Celeste can hear his retreating footsteps. She excitedly grabs the book from her desk and plops onto her bed. She wraps the hot red covers around herself, and fidgets and adjusts for minutes until she is one hundred percent comfortable. She is a perfectionist, after all.

Celeste stares at the cover and fantasizes for a while. If she was in the Hunger Games... Hmm. Colors swish in her mind and vivid conversations happen and blood and gore and romance and adventure and... her imagination is so detailed that she gets sucked into it and suddenly she is in the games running from the Cornucopia and breathing heavily and grabbing a bulky rough cloth black backpack that's the size of her torso... images take over her mind as she alliances with a lanky District 11 boy whose name is Simon and...

No, back to reality. She stares down at the cover and smiles at the golden Mockingjay pin. _Woohoo! Time to get sucked into my Panem reality! _she thinks sillily.

Celeste opens the cover, and stares at the page. She strokes the pages in a silly way, drawing circles and squares with her finger...

Finally she pulls herself out of her reverie and the corners of her mouth lift up as her eyes read the first words.

_When I wake up..._

"Ow!" What is that? She has got a feeling in her stomach, a curling feeling, like her stomach in being sucked at and stabbed at and millions of small cells are dying. She stares down at her stomach, and decides that she looks fine.

"Ouch!" _Now this is serious... _she thinks angrily.

Then she is waving her arms around because all she sees is black and nothing and what is happening! Her brain feels like its swimming around in a long never-ending sea and is far, far away from her. She feels her legs spazzing and her chest flails and her throat tightens as a lump forms and her heart travels up her throat feeling sticky and splattering everywhere and then blood red dots are dancing around her...

Then the lights hit her and her eyes are blazing and burning and watering and her body is stinging and on fire and she's surrounded by an aurora of brilliant colors, all spilling out of the book. She feels herself getting pulled forward and she topples over her head and legs and toward the book and she is over it floating in the air with wind shrieking around her and all she can think is _how, how, how is this happening?!_

She falls towards the book and her bed and she knows she will land softly but suddenly she is getting sucked into a darkness that spreads out as far as the eye can see and beyond and she is spinning and spinning and then it all disappears as if nothing is real, not touch or taste or smell, as she feels herself getting flattened.

* * *

Celeste's eyes flick open in fear as she looks at her surroundings. A dark alleyway, shadows gliding along the walls, even a dirty, sooty black cat standing stiff behind a barrel, hiding, with huge wide lime green eyes.

As soon as where she is registers in Celeste's mind, worry takes over. Celeste is a huge worry freak. And waking up in a creepy strange place like this.. well, what do you expect?

But what may strike some people as odd is what she does next. She tentatively gets up off the hard dirt ground and crawls slowly toward the cat. It's in Celeste's nature to try to help other people... or, ah, creatures. And frankly, she needs some distraction. A cat ought to do it. Celeste has always wanted a pet, but alas, her parents do not seem to think a pet would be the best thing in a small apartment.

_"If you want a dog, just pretend Jacie is one. Pet her head or something," Celeste's dad would always joke._

As Celeste sits in front of the cat, the cat starts sniffing at her. Celeste smiles to herself as the cat nibbles at her fingertips. Celeste gives a giggle, but then goes back to worrying. What if the cat has rabbies? But, no, there is no sparkling saliva dripping from yellow fangs and cloudy bubbles. And the cat, which Celeste assumes is a boy, judging on the.. Ah, _private parts, _seems friendly and not a raging, wild animal.

Plus, Celeste has, with reason, assumed she is in a dream. But why would she fall asleep? And was that display of pain and colors and darkness real, or all in her brain?

With a giddy feeling Celeste remembers the wise Dumbledore telling Harry something in one of her favorite books.

_"Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?" _

Celeste happily replaces Harry with Celeste and grins, and then goes back to thinking.

But the feelings were so real and vivid... Although that doesn't necessarily mean anything. Sometimes Celeste imagines something, and she imagines the scene fold out in so much detail in her head that it seems real and later she can't remember what is real and what is fake. She'll even talk about the event with someone and they'll be so confused because it didn't happen. Actually, this happens more than sometimes. More like everyday.

And that's when Celeste gets sucked into her theories. But the purring of the cat, the rumbling of the cat's stomach, and the distant sound of crashing waves sucks Celeste back to reality.

The crashing of waves? That's when Celeste realizes something.

She is not in her t-shirt and skinny jeans.

She's in a knee-length, gray-blue, no sleeves, silky dress, with silk gray-blue flowers on the skirt part and a soft cloth chocolate brown belt.

Celeste isn't the most.. observant of people. When she really wants to be observant she'll notice the smallest details. Especially in other people, or in writing, or she's very great at interpreting artwork. But she zones out _a lot_.

So she didn't even notice that she is freezing cold and shivering and has a pounding headache. But now she does.

Celeste hears people talking, and immediately gets up. She starts walking towards the noise, and notices the cat following her. She sighs and smiles down at the cat, secretly glad for the company. She turns a corner, and the sight surprises her.

A huge market, buckets piled high with produce, luxuries like beautiful shell necklaces being sold, set against a bright, blinding golden sun, rising against a clear blue sky. The air smells strongly of salt and in the distance Celeste can see beaches lined up. Down a path to the right, far away Celeste can see a large, looming building made of bright yellow bricks, and in front of a square strung with wilting streamers and colors so dull compared to the place she is in now.

Celeste looks around at the market, and a glint of metal catches her eye. On the ground lies a handful of plain silver coins, and quickly and stealthily Celeste snatches them up.

"You look like you could do with a decent meal," she murmurs to the cat.

Walking towards a stand smelling awfully stinky fish, Celeste blocks out the smell with all her might, and gets in line. She nervously brushes at her hair and squeezes her hands, hoping that she fits in. The cat slides along comfortably beside her, and people give the dirty cat disgusted looks.

"Hello, what would you like, m'lady?" asks the boy at the counter, a tall boy. He is dotted with orange freckles and has a confident look on his face as he flips back his long, sandy-orange hair.

"A bass fish," Celeste says, with a fake smile. She's had practice with that fake smile.

The bass is basically the only kind of fish she knows of of the choices on the poster on the wall of the stall.

"Coming right up, m'lady," the boy says again. Soon enough the fish is ready, and Celeste fumbles with her coins. She had closely watched the other customers, and to her dismay, none of them had bought a bass fish, so she couldn't copy any of them.

"Lemme help you there, m'lady," the boy says, as he reaches forward and takes a few coins out of the pile in her hand.

"Thank you for your costumer watcha-ma-call-it, service etcetera. And you best not go around flaunting those coins. There's a few stealin' rascals out there, you know?" he says, as he hands her her bass in a paper bag.

"Thank you," Celeste says.

Then a streaking mass of black fur jumps up and attaches itself to the paper bag, as it slips and slides and tries to get to the fish.

"That your cat?" asks the boy, a little suspicious and hesitant.

"Yes," says Celeste, with admiration of the cat (he knew there was fish in it?!) and pleasure (she finally has a pet!) that the boy doesn't understand.

"Well, I gotta tub of water. That cat could use a bath. Fancy that?" he asks, and Celeste nods vigorously.

The boy picks up the cat, which hisses when put into the water. The boy rubs the cat until the water is dirty gray from all the dirt from the cat, and then he takes the cat out. Rubbing him dry, the cat sulks back to Celeste and plops down onto the ground, with an extremely sour look on his face.

"Thank you so much! That was.. really kind!" Celeste says, staring at the cat. His coat of black is now silky, his tail fluffy, and it turns out he has the cutest white paws, and a small white dot on his cheek!

"No problem. Feeling extra nice today, you know? Everyone is. Gave one lady and a man a discount. Mind you, I'm still in myself. Just eighteen. Haven't got too many slips, though, cause of this job. I've got to thank my father later then... We could hire you, if you know what there's to know about fish," this seems a funny joke to him, but Celeste doesn't get it. She just smiles politely and he goes on. "Well, of course you do! Anyways, wish you good luck. Nice cat you've got there, by the way," the boy says, sarcastically. "He have a name?"

Just then Celeste realizes that she forgot to give the cat a name. So far his name has been the cat. So she makes a split second decision.

"Boga."

"Nice name. And your name would be?"

"Celeste. Celeste Horn."

"Cool. I'm Lucas Titan. See ya around," the boy says, and he goes back to the counter to join another boy that looks his age.

Celeste walks along and feeds the fish to Boga. She ends up buying a small roll of bread for herself and a bottle of water to share with Boga. She eats the roll hungrily. She has a big appetite.

After about half an hour, she notices a shift in the crowd. Everyone seems to be going down the path, and Celeste is immediately struck with confusion as kids cry and protest and everyone's face is sullen.

Celeste has seen movies like this before. The person doesn't know where everyone is going so they ask someone. Then everyone immediately marks them as stupid and crazy and a hazard for not knowing. So she keeps her lips sealed.

Celeste just follows everyone else, and ends up getting pushed toward a line of whimpering young children. She walks along the line, with the cat at her heels. Finally she's at the front, and she looks up, scared, at a man in a white uniform, with a gun in his belt, staring daggers at her, and holding a needle-like contraption.

"That your cat," the man says, looking like he wouldn't hesitate to bring out his gun and shoot the animal. Celeste instinctively steps in front of Boga, and smiles politely.

"Yes, Sir."

"Get rid of him. No cats here," he says, and Celeste nods her head.

She leans down toward Boga, and whispers, "meet me where I first saw you." Boga seems to understand, and he sprints away. Celeste faces the man again, and he sticks the needle-contraption into her finger, and then inserts the needle into a machine.

"Celeste Horn?" he asks, as CELESTE HORN appears on a screen on the machine.

"Yes," she whispers. He nods and she gets the sense that she should move on and go to where the rest of the people that were in her line went. She follows a couple of them, who are all crying, and ends up in a roped off section in the back of the square. It all seems so familiar to her, yet she can't grasp what is happening. Soon a man walks up to the stage, and a 'hush falls over the crowd.'

He walks toward the microphone, and starts a solemn speech. "Welcome, Panem Citizens, and District 4, to the Reaping Day for the 167th Annual Hunger Games. It is our great tradition to gather here at the square, to draw the names of the young men and young women between the ages of 12 and 18 who will bravely represent District 4 in the 167th Hunger Games. Our great country of Panem rose up out of the ashes of this once continent of North America, whose destruction happened hundreds of years ago. The former civilization was very advanced and we may never know how much—maybe they even had some of our great Capitol's exciting technology!

But, it fell, from ignorant rebellion of citizens, weak rulers, and natural destruction along with nuclear destruction. But Panem, a wonderful, shining Capitol surrounded by thirteen outlying districts rose! Then there was a rebellion, he Dark Dayand the thirteenth district was obliterated. The Capitol was nice, though, and generous to the other districts, and still is. We've lived in harmony and prosperity ever since. And the Hunger Games go on! Now may I introduce our Capitol representative for District 4, Eta Prine!"

It clicked with the second word of his speech, and Celeste gasped loudly on instinct. Celeste has to fight the urge of falling to her knees. But it doesn't make sense. If it's the 167th Hunger Games, well.. the last _ever _Hunger Games was the 75th! There should be no 167th Hunger Games, right?

A tall women in a short black dress and puffy golden sleeves comes up with a huge hairband on her head. The band is black, and perched on it are two huge, golden, pointed ears. And by huge-well, each ear is about one foot. Her lips are small and golden, and her eyelashes are dark black, long, and thick. Her shoes are tall black, leather boots that lace up with golden lace to her knees. She wears a golden ruffly cloth necklace that should be a fancy collar but isn't attached to the dress-the dress is too low on to make it seem as if they're attached, as the necklace is high on the neck of the women who was called by a man, who Celeste guesses is the mayor, Eta.

"Hello, hello!" says Eta, in the high-pitched voice Celeste expected, as she waves her arms around in an animated way, which Celeste frowns at, as Celeste is very animated herself. At least Eta's face is like a blank board. Celeste's face is a constant display of emotions and is always changing.

"Welcome, District 4, to the start of the 167th Annual Hunger Games!" A few clap, but Celeste finds herself glued to the ground and staring into space. How did her name come up on that machine? She doesn't live here. But, then she reminds herself that she's in a dream, and that crazy things happen in a dream.

"Now, I shall reap the girl tribute!" Eta walks over to the bowl, and Celeste doesn't even register what is happening until the name is called out.

"Celeste Horn!" that's when Celeste nearly falls to her knees. She bites her cheek, harder and harder. Then she reminds herself that its a dream.

But she's dreamed that she's in the Hunger Games before. And she hasn't registered in those dreams that she shouldn't be in them. And those dreams end quickly, and why hasn't this one ended yet? And how did she fall asleep? She knows she's already asked herself these questions, but they still bounce around angrily in her head.

She starts forward, and somehow reaches the stage. Then, when she gets next to Eta, she forces a smile onto her face. She's done that before. Forced a smile onto her face, and people believed she was happy, even though with words she is a horrible liar.

Sounds of sadness and and sympathizing crowd members escape because Celeste is only twelve and has been reaped in her first year. Somewhere in the front of the crowd stands a frowning, tall, lanky boy by the name of Lucas Titan, who was immediately struck with sadness at the sound of the name of the poor, innocent girl from the market being magnified around the square and read from a slip by Eta.

Celeste is, meanwhile, struck with paranoia as she stares around, scared of the people around her and worried by the slightest movement.

She thought she was in a dream. But what is that pang of sadness and fear eating away at her that seems to be screaming at her that this is real?

* * *

Fanfiction writers everyday leave their desks after a hard day of writing to have dreams about their favorite books while they yearn for a update in their favorite fanfictions. They are separated from their favorite fantasies by a thin layer inside themselves that show them what is real and what is not real.

But one day, twenty-four fanfiction writers who are fans of the acclaimed novel The Hunger Games settle down to relive the book's greatest moments and delve into the wonderful words of the story again. When the story becomes all too real.

The arena has never seen anything like this game. And the tributes have never experienced anything like it. So, may the Games start, and may the odds be ever in your favor.

* * *

Authors Note: have you ever wanted to see how you would react in the arena? Yes, you. Not your character, not you who grew up in Panem and had the opportunity to hack with a axe, swing a sword, or live amongst berries and wild plants.

Submit yourself!

Oh god this sounds like a horrible advertisement...

So, tell me a name. It doesn't have to be your real name, by please not your username. Don't you think it would be kind of strange for the district escort to reap a tribute named Hunger-GamesLover101? Make sure you include a first and last name!

Tell me a bit about your personality. Maybe even role play a situation that would happen in real life and I can see how you will react! XD Please try to be truthful. If your not, you might as well submit to a SYOT a made-up character. Describe your looks a bit. If your uncomfortable which giving away how you look, just give me a general thing (for ex: long brown hair, dark brown eyes, extremely tall, pale skin, skinny features) and I'll fill in the blanks! Tell me some of your skills that could help in the games. Even things that could seem insignificant could help! Have you ever gone rock-climbing or wall-climbing and were exceptionally good, or we're super bad, slipped, and cried? (The second one would be me :/ I was really young! And I'm afraid of heights... only man made ones though I love nature and natural heights like mountain or waterfall is cooool I'd probably be bad at mountain climbing though) Have you shot an arrow at camp? Maybe your very good at painting and art and could therefore be good at camo? Have you gone camping and know how to make a fire? Maybe throwing darts is a hobby of yours? Maybe you dream of becoming a doctor and have studied medics. May you were on a swim team and won some medals? Say weaknesses also. Are you very sensitive to the sun? Are you afraid of drowning, or feint at blood?

For your age, if your below 12 just say 12 or 13, and if your above 18 just say your 18 or 17 or something. If you don't feel comfortable giving your age, just give an accurate range, like 12-14 if your 12 or 15-17 if your 16 and I'll pick one.

Godd I just read over the chapter 1 and I seem pretty depressed, trust me, I'm just scared in it! I mean theres been sad things in my life but I'm a pretty optimistic person!

I'll probably squeeze myself into a liquid and pour myself into the other chapters about me. Some things I've never told anyone and I'll tell you guys in this story...

Oh ya if you haven't guessed Celeste Horn is me. By the way Horn is not my real last name. I used a last name generator. ;P

In your submission include what district you think best has your skills. District 4 girl is taken and so is District 7 girl. You can take a which district are you from? quiz but I find those aren't the most accurate, at least not for me. List 2-3 (or more!) districts in order of preference or not in order incase that one is taken. And say why you should be in that district. Not oh my god, Katniss was in district 12 and she's cool so I have to be in district 12! Not oh district 2 is cool because they're strong if your scrawny and weak and would be afraid to even lay a finger on a weapon.

I will be writing most of the chapters, and Elphie (Elphaba01) has been a real help! Thanks Elphie! XDD you guys should really check out her stories! She's a great writer :)

I'm thinking that everyone writes their own reaping and I can base the rest of of how they acted in the reaping? Base your reaping please off of mine- have yourself read the book, then you get sucked in, but the 'sucking' can happen differently if you'd like, like you could feel bliss, or maybe you see past hunger games images flash before your eyes or whatever. Then do your reaping. Don't include your district partner getting reaped, because you don't know who he is or how he'll react-if your a girl. If your a girl you can send your thing right away, if your a guy wait until your girl partner is posted and you can react to her reaping. You probably won't know that she is a fanfiction writer and she is maybe your fanfiction friend, so don't be like "oh my god it's Hunger-GamesLover101 how is this happening?!"

You may do first or third or second or whatever person, what ever piques your fancy, as long as its in story form and not a script or poem or whatever ;) I'm going to be only writing in third person though.

There will be special chapters later with guest writers who write themselves!

Please submit!

I'll be sending this to everyone who basically knows of my story 300th Hunger Games recently re-named They're Always Watching (which you should check out by the way! -no product placement here!) and I'll post this is an author note in that story for everyone who I didn't PM because I don't know how to do a mass PM-can you do one?- and I'll probably miss someone. If you don't want to do this it's fine, just please don't be rude about it! Thank you so much!

Also tell me if you'd want to do anything you think only you would know how to do for yourself, like your private session or interview or even your point of view of the bloodbath. Usually you should PM me if you want to write a special chapter, but if I would like a specific person to do a special chapter I'll probably PM them but they don't have to write the chapter if they don't want to! Also if you don't want to write your reaping or/and getting sucked into book then just make your description for your self very descriptive!

You can include more information on yourself like what you think your score would be for private session you could again take one of those quizzes but it's not ENTIRELY accurate. Thank you so much and thank you! xD


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:** Hey guys! This is ScarletRavenwood as Emma Peterson! Me, Celeste, actually wrote this but she helped a lot! Enjoy!

* * *

As Emma strides into her house, she wipes her dirty shoes on the rug before peeling them off and heading inside. She spent the first half of the day in town with her friends. They played ball in a court, one friend of hers was finally allowed to get her nose pierced like Emma, and they all went to the local guitar shop to look at the new ones recently shipped in. Emma spent the second half of her day out in the backyard picking weeds for her mother and shooting at targets. Ever since that summer at the camp where they did archery Emma has been shooting with a makeshift bow at a cardboard target.

And it didn't help that one of her favorite characters of all time is a pro at the bow and arrow. That just increased her obsession.

Emma passes her mother who is busy typing away on her computer, and her father, who is engrossed in a book.

Her father looks up, and with a serious voice says, "Emma, did you practice your guitar?"

"Come on, dad, I practiced for three whole hours yesterday!"

"Emma..." he says dangerously, but stops at the look his wife gives him. "Fine," he says, but then buries his head back in his book.

Emma bounds toward her room happily, and flicks her phone on. She checks her email, then her texts, then fanfiction. No emails, no texts, no updates, no PMs. That's strange. Usually she'll get home and there will be _hundreds_ of messages waiting for her.

Rolling her eyes, she sighs happily. If she can't read a fanfiction story, then why not read the original The Hunger Games?

She decides to get comfortable though. She changes into her pajamas and then scrutinizes her face in her mirror. She's not the type to stare at herself dreamily or brag about her looks. She's just wondering.

She wonders what other people think about her. She's only sixteen, but very tall at 5' 10". She has long wavy brown hair with golden highlights, and piercing blue eyes with specks of brown in the left eye. People are amazed at her eyes because they think the blue changes to gray and to green, but it's actually only the lighting. She has pale, ivory skin, and must be one of the most athletic people in her class, as well as one of the fastest with her long legs. Her dark red dewy lips stick out, her small nose blends in, and her three pierces in her ears (2 on lobs, 1 in left cartilage) shine. She also has a pierced nose.

Then there's the scar on her right cheek that no one but family and her closest friends know how she got.

It hurts to think about it. It hurts a lot.

Breathing heavily, Emma grabs her book a little roughly. She starts reading, but somehow forgets what she's read after every few sentences. Her mind is becoming foggy, and it seems as if the room is foggy. Like that foggy day...

But this is worse. Because now the whole room is sticky, and humid, and gray clouds swirl around her. She peers around, confused. _What the heck is happening?_

She feels a stinging in her hand. It doesn't hurt. It's just the type you get when your hand falls asleep. She shakes it hard, but the numbness just gets worse. Then it spreads. Emma can feel it seeping through her and her whole body tingles as she blinks rapidly. Even her eyeballs are tingling.

Suddenly she gets very tired. Exhausted. Drained. She feels as if she's falling asleep, and it feels blissful. The tingling is disappearing and the room is becoming clear once again. She feels tugging at her feet and it feels like she's being dragged across the floor. That's alright, the tingling is gone... _Dragged across the floor?!_

Emma twists and turns and slaps at where she assumes her legs are but there's no one there and she has to stop because the slightest movement makes her worn out. She finally slumps, as darkness obscures her vision and her mind succumbs to nothing.

* * *

"Wake up! Wake up!" Emma hears the urgent voice and feels shaking and her eyes immediately flick open. She stares at the man frowning down at her, and panic strikes as she looks around confused. Looks like a gym. There's punching bags hanging from the ceiling and dummies set up as kids throw spears through them.

_What?!_

Suddenly the man is pulling her to her feet and is yanking her toward a station.

"If you want to sleep sleep at home, missy! Here we only train! You should be grateful, I wouldn't be surprised if some of the rowdy ones would've ganged up on you had I not been there!" he hisses at Emma. She bites her lip as he storms away to go direct some kids who are... sword fighting. _They're damn sword fighting! What is this place?_ she asks herself.

She also notices her outfit has changed. She is no longer in pajamas. She wears a knee-length, black, leather skirt, a red, silk blouse covered in tiny pink flowers, and black flats. Her hair is pulled into a tight ponytail that is so tight that it _stings_.

Emma looks in front of her and sees that she's standing on the side of what looks to be an archery station. With a heavy heart, she decides to play along with this sick, scary game, and grabs one of the lighter-looking bows off the rack. Her makeshift bow was pretty light, and this one feels about the same. And the bows tightness feels similar. However, this one is much... prettier? Hers was dirty wood with frayed, black rope. This one's sleek, silver metal that catches the light of the lamps above and glints.

"Are you going to shoot, or just stand there?" yells a boy to her, snidely, as he snickers and releases two arrows. One hits bulls eye, right in the center, and the other hits close to it in the next section of the target. Keeping her temper, Emma smiles at him and he just laughs at her.

"Let's see what you've got!" he yells, motioning her over.

Emma walks over and positions her bow. Out of the corner of her eye she sees the boy making childish faces at her as he tries to distract her, but she just chuckles and focuses.

_Release._

_Release._

_Bulls eye._

_Bulls eye._

Emma then faces the boy and feels immediately guilty. He looks so down-trodden, and sad, that she just _has_ to help.

"It was really just pure luck!" she says, as his eyes narrow and harden at her.

"I don't need to be babied," he says, with a dangerous edge to his voice.

"Oh, no! Of course not! I didn't mean..." she says, a little strained. "I could help you.. if you'd like? Give some pointers?"

"Oh you're not all that! You're not high authority, not the trainers! In fact, I've never seen you here before! And.. it was beginners luck!" he says, and in a rage runs off with his face tomato red in anger. Emma stares at him, a little surprised. Then she feels sour. That boy has no right to be so angry about that. She didn't even do anything wrong. She was being perfectly nice.

Then she decides she wants to leave. _Immediately. _And when she sets her mind on something.. well, it happens. She's strongheaded.

She puts the bow away and then practically sprints toward a large glass door. She pushes on it, but even with her strength it doesn't budge. Frowning, she notices a slot where someone would presumably slip in a card.

A card she doesn't have.

But.. if she doesn't have a card then how did she get in? She notices a pocket on her skirt, and digs her hand into it. She's rewarded with a small, plastic card. On the top it says Emma Peterson, and on the bottom is one of those design-like things machines scan.

She swipes the card, and grins when the door slides open. As soon as she walks through she almost falls backward. Inside the gym it was relatively quiet, aside from the occasional grunts of fighting people, the clang of swords, and the rip of dummies being severed. But now her ear-drums and eyes nearly split. The streets are decorated with blinding lights, streamers of all colors are littered all around, people walk around in brilliant formal clothes (fancy dresses and colorful suits), and music booms from everywhere.

Emma has to fight the urge to cover her ears as she stares at people dancing beside her. Out of no where, she gets sucked into the dance and is being twirled by a laughing middle-aged man. She is beginning to enjoy herself when the song ends and she walks away, confused. She follows a clump of teenagers who are all monkeying around and being rough, and ends up in a square.

She looks around, confused. A teenager comes up to her and starts speaking very slowly, as if she's dumb. "Do.. you.. need... help... finding... the.. sign-in... tables?"

"Yes, please, oh thank you!" she says, relieved there's someone the least bit nice here who will willingly help her. The boy scoffs, and points at a line quite near her.

"Over there," the boy says, as he shakes his head, laughs, mutters to himself, and walks away. Emma reluctantly starts toward the line, and ponders the situation. Where could she be?

_Oh! _She feels like punching herself and it all sinks in. She's in damn Panem! She must have fallen asleep while reading the book. Today, after all, had been a tiring day.

But.. why does it seem so cheery, colorful, and happy here? This must be a district, since she assumes she is at a reaping. But aren't districts supposed to be color-less and deprived? But, that doesn't make sense either. She was at what must have been a training center earlier, so this must be a favored career district. But District 1, 2, or 4?

Probably not 4, as there are no beaches. But she won't know if it's District 1 or 2 until the mayor makes a speech.

Emma can not believe she's in one of her favorite books, even if it's just a dream, so she just smiles at everyone. Even at the peacekeeper who takes her blood. The process seems a little different than how the book explains it...

"Emma Peterson?" the peacekeeper asks as EMMA PETERSON appears on a screen on his little machine. Emma walks away, puzzled. How does this district have her name... if she doesn't actually live here? Well, maybe in the dream she lives her, she decides.

She goes to a section labeled "16F," which she assumes is the 16-year-old female section. It's in the middle-front of the square.

A man with an elaborately curled mustache and a large, round stomach, strides to the microphone in a mere two steps because of his long legs and height. He casts a large shadow, and his voice is what you would expect. Gruff, and almost unintelligible because of a scruffy black beard.

Emma tries to make out what he says, but only catches some words.

"Hello, District 2!" So it is District 2. Like what she got on all of her quizzes! "Panem... 167th ...Hunger Games! Today... a girl and a boy... chosen... volunteer... fight... great District 2 skills! The home of masonry, eh! Strongest... win against 23 others! ... live television! Now... brilliant... slide show... horrible... Dark Days!"

The mayor steps to the side and on the screens around the square there's a slide show showing what Emma guesses was the first rebellion, or the Dark Days. She also noticed that the mayor mostly talked about the games and not the rebellion. _Probably because it's a career district...they love the games, don't they?  
_

The slide show ends and then a women steps up. Emma basically shouts with bubbly laughter. She's always wanted to see the Capitol's absurd outfits. The movies showed the outfits spectacularly well, but they weren't _real_ Capitolites. This isn't exactly real, as Emma suspects it is a dream, but it's _her_ real.

The District Escort is dressed in a bright red fox suit. She doesn't have a fox head, but her sleek red hair is pulled back and there are whiskers coming out of her her cheeks. The suit is covered in brilliant purple sparkles, and it doesn't look like a suit at all. It look like it's the womens very skin and fur. Which is actually very creepy. The suit stops at her waist, and to cover her legs she wears a bright purple hoop-skirt covered in flashing red lights. The women even has a long, skinny red tail with a white tip that waggles back and forth.

"Hello, I am Alda Amitty! I am here to represent the Capitol in the acclaimed District 2, and I am here to reap the tributes for this year's Hunger Games!" Emma notes with glee that Alda has the signature Capitol accent, and smiles to herself.

Alda reaches forward and picks a slip out of a bowl.

"Emma Peterson!"

_Oh shit..._


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note:** hi! This is Theuglyduckling492 as Gwen Knight written by Theuglyduckling492! There are more below this one. Also her family/friends are there for a reason that will be revealed later! By the way if I accidentally call Christine Christina or Lola I'm sorry! It's Christine. Also it will just be Gwen shares her thoughts on her district boy later like on the train since we skipped to her goodbyes. We'll do everyone else's goodbyes, too, though, just they probably won't have anyone to say goodbye to..

* * *

Gwen Knight walked into her room. The familiar green walls comforted her as she crawled beneath the covers. Gwen heard her sister's, Rachael's, heavy footsteps making their way to the bedroom next to Gwen's. Gwen looked over at The Hunger Games sitting on her nightstand. It was a Friday night, still early... why not?

Gwen reached out and grabbed the book. She dived into the pages filled with Katniss, Peeta, Prim, and Rue. She felt her head bang against the Cornucopia as if she were Clove. Gwen wondered if she would survive The Hunger Games. The grueling physical and mental struggle would surely prove deadly. Wouldn't it?

Gwen saw herself in the one district she thought she'd belong, District 8. Gwen looked over at her collection of home-sewn crafts on her book shelf among her favorite books. She thought of who the people in the Hunger Games would be to her. Peeta would surely be her crush, Garrett. Prim would be her sister, Rachael, but younger. Madge would be like her best friends, Penelope and Carla.

Gwen saw a flash of a chain link fence. Then the endless factories and fabric shops of District 8. She saw a modest cabin sized house that she felt familiarized with.

Gwen shook herself awake and laughed to herself. To think she thought she was actually going into the Hunger Games!  
But why not? Gwen slid back down beneath the covers and shut her eyes. She'd put herself to the test. Find out whether or not she'd really survive. Could a 14 year old survive? The waves of sleep washed over her again and she saw the house again.

She looked down at herself and saw a dark green dress, rather than her old t-shirt and Victoria's Secret shorts. A family walked by in equally dressy clothes. It must be reaping day, Gwen thought.  
A boy came up behind her.

"You look pretty today, Gwen," a familiar voice said.

Gwen turned around.

"Garrett? What? Er, how?"

"What do you mean? We've both lived here forever. Are you joking?" Garret said, confused.

Gwen realized that her family and friends... and Garrett must have been transferred here too. Why not make a move if this was just a dream?

"Sorry, I just woke up. So, Garrett, do you want to do something together?" Gwen asked slyly.

"Listen, Gwen. I don't completely like you, you know that. There's the whole Christine thing. Maybe if it weren't for her..."  
He had to be kidding. Not in her dreams too! Gwen sighed.

"Sorry, wasn't thinking," Gwen sad, sadly.

"I'm sorry, Gwen. Maybe in a few... I don't know," Garrett said, awkwardly apologizing.

"No, don't be sorry. It was a dumb idea," Gwen said, going inside before things got too uncomfortable.

Her family was waiting in the kitchen, looking just like they usually did. They headed to the square, and Gwen and Rachael registered at the table.

The escort mounted the stage and said the name loud and clear, "Gwen Knight!"

Gwen had known she would be reaped. Why would she have this dream and remain safe and sound in the district.

Gwen looked out at the crowd and saw her friends and family. Penelope and Carla stood together, tears running down their cheeks. Rachael stood completely still, absolutely shocked. Garrett looked a little uncomfortable. He glanced at Christine, Gwen's annoying, ugly rival in love matters.

Gwen saw Garrett mouth, "I'm glad it wasn't you," at Christine.

Sharp tears pricked in Gwen's eyes, and she heard a little noise in her throat. She loved Garrett. But even though she was headed to her death, dream or no dream, Garrett didn't care enough. She wasn't his favorite. She was his back up.  
Gwen blinked away the tears to see Christine mouth back, "I love you."

And even though Gwen tried not to, she instinctively looked at Garrett who mouthed, "I love you" back.

Gwen felt her heart breaking. She couldn't function. Why would she come back to this torture? Gwen had carefully told Garrett her true feelings about him about a week ago. He had said if it weren't for Christine, he would like Gwen. Winning wouldn't even help her.

Gwen had bid goodbye to her sobbing friends and family. She really hoped Garrett would come. He had to.  
Garrett came in. But he wasn't alone. Christine was close behind him.

"Gwen," Garrett started.

"You came together? Why don't you just make out over my coffin when I come back, surely dead."

"Shut up!" Christine said, laughing.

"No, you shut up! Get out!" Gwen blew up.

"Break it up!" Garrett said, "Christine, I'll meet you outside." Christine nodded and flounced out the door.

"Listen, Gwen. I'm sorry. I was just scared to see you alone."

"I'm still me! What else would I be? Some Capitol killing monster?"

"I know how you feel about me and I'm sorry. It was dumb for me to bring her."

"It doesn't even matter. You'll end up getting married and I'll be dead at fourteen."

"Don't say that."

"I will say that! And there's no way you can stop me. Listen-"

Gwen was cut off by Garrett kissing her.

"I'm sorry. I really am. Please, please come home," Garrett said.

Gwen saw a pleading, overcome with sadness expression that she'd never seen before.

"I'll try. I promise."

Garrett touched the side of Gwen's face and turned to walk out the door. Gwen gently touched her lips. Had that really happened? But what about Christine?

"Let's go," the Peacekeeper said from the doorway.

* * *

**Author's Note:** This is as Allison Bell written by Hermy . Bee! (take off spaces)

* * *

"Allison you have to leave the room now, your mother and I are going to watch a movie not suited for you," instructs Allison's dad, while she sat in the living room playing on her laptop.

Allison sighs and gets to her feet, she's not surprised by this for it had been the same instruction for at least three nights in a row now; they would watch a movie or something on television not suited for Allison and she'd have to leave the room and do something else.

To be honest Allison did not mind so much because that meant she could read her books while her four other siblings and her parents left her alone in peace.

As soon as Allison closes her bedroom door she can hear the loud noises producing from the T.V., she shakes her head and falls back into her bed. Allison grabs hold of her long light brown hair and tosses it out from underneath her back so she wouldn't lay on it and she opens her book: The MockingJay.

She unfolds the page from where she left off and she then re-read her favourite part in the book. "Why? Do you find this... distracting?" Allison cracks up in silent giggles at Finnick's words, he was always her favourite character because of his funny and seductive words.

As she continues to read through MockingJay in a fast pace inside her head she can hear the outside noises muted inside her bedroom of screams and swords hitting swords. No wonder they wouldn't let a thirteen year old girl watch that. Allison thinks to herself, stopping to listen in for more of the ongoing sound.

She shakes her head from her previous thoughts and continues to read, as soon as Allison starts the new chapter she starts to feel her book vibrating in her long fingers. Allison furrows her eyebrows in confusion at the sudden outbreak happening in her hands.

It was if the feeling in the book was spreading to her fingers and up; going up her shoulders spreading through her legs. It sort of felt like she was sitting in one of those massage chairs in the home electronics stores but it was going everywhere! Allison soon slips the books out of her uncontrollable shaking hands and it tumbles to the floor.

As soon as the book hits the ground Allison follows it as if they were both magnets. The vibration had soon stopped completely and it was replaced for numbness running through her body. She suddenly feels her eyelids drooping down and can not find the strength to keep them open...

Allison's eyelids begin to flutter and immediately she opens them to find her self in a toilet outhouse and lying helplessly on the old wooden floor. She sits up and checks out her surroundings, "Eww, what the hell am I doing here?!" Speaks Allison aloud in a disgusted tone.

She arises from her awkward sitting position and steps out of the awful smelling box. As soon as her whole body is out, she takes in her surroundings as well as a large amount of air. It smelt of dirt, s*** and meat. It didn't take long for her to realise where she was: A Cattle Property.

Allison squints her eyes to concentrate in on an ascending figure approaching her and waving their hands about like a crazy person. "Hey you!" The unrecognisable person calls out to her but Allison is glued to where she stands in the dirt.

The stranger is now at least 4 feet away from Allison when they begin to slow down into a quick walk. Allison is able to take in the person's appearance now; It was a tall boy around the age of fifth-teen, he had board straight ash-blonde hair, he looked very built and a bit scary.

"Oi, ya' meant to be down by the square!" The boy shouts at Allison, as soon as he was directly in front of her, "Ya' been in the pits for ages," He indicates by pointing to the outhouse behind her, "Look I know it's your second year in but ya' got nothin' to worry abou'." He says to her more calmly putting on a pitiful face.

Allison doesn't know what to say, the only thing she is capable of doing is squinting her eyes from the hot sun baring down on her face. The boy looks as if he's waiting for her to say something so she quickly says in a hoarse voice, "Erm, okay..." Really Allison, that is what come up with? She mentally kicks herself.

He gives her a confused look but decides not to push the matter, "Come with me, we gotta drop this meat off at the butcher and then we can go to the square." He proposes, grabbing hold of her wrist and leading her to the left.

The more they walk the more the silence grows awkward so the boy thankfully says, "So ah, what's your name, I don't think I've really ever seen you around here?"

"Ah Allison... Allison Bell." She replies lamely, looking down at her feet as they walked.

She soon came to realise that she was no longer in her comfy sweat pants and old T-shirt but was now wearing a stained, raggidy faded green singlet and rough fabric shorts. What? Where in Christ's name am I?! The last thing I remember was my eyes drooping... so I must- this must be a dream! Of course it is! Hmm, it seems so... real though and I don't remember feeling tired while I was reading so how exactly did I fall asleep? Allison decided to leave that question hanging unanswered because when she answered them it just lead to more question, which was too much for her brain.

"Well, what do you think?" The boy asked unexpectedly.

"Ah, what?" Replies Allison somewhat a bit rudely.

The boy gives her a, are-you-stupid-or-something look and repeats whatever he was saying before, "I said what do you think of my name, Diego?"

Ahh, I don't know it's an okay name, why would you care what I think of it? But instead she says, "It's a great name." She replies unconvincingly, but the boy seems to believe her because his face lights up. Ugh, this boy is vane...

"Thanks, my mother picked it... Anyway we're here." Diego says unexpectedly again, Allison looks up to where he was nodding his head at.

In front of them was a small white building with an old screen swinging door, Diego pushes it open and motions for Allison to go in first. She takes in the air of the room; hot and stuffy with the smell of cooked and raw meat whether it be chicken, beef or any other.

Diego moves around Allison and strolls over to the counter top, he passes to bags the are obviously filled with meat which Allison did not know he was carrying before. Allison creeps over to the corner of the room not knowing what to do.

"Hello Diego, let's see what you brought us." Comes a voice outside of the back room, an old woman strolls out wiping her hands with her apron and takes a look inside the two bags. "Hmm, I take it Mr Phillip butchered those two dexter cows then, huh?" She prompts as she takes out two heavy looking meat lumps.

Diego grunts a yes and turns over to Allison which the old lady catches, "Hello dear, who are you?" The old woman ask politely.

"Allison Bell." Allison says shyly. The old lady smiles to her and continues with the meat.

"Well, I'll trade these two chickens for it and twelve coins, huh? I'm feeling generous, you know with the reaping and everything." The old lady walks off back into the back room.

What? Reaping, reaping... REAPING! Holy Cow I'm in Panem! Huh, well I think I'm starting to like this dream... Hang on if I'm in Panem and there's a reaping, what District am I in?

Allison snaps back to reality to notice that Diego is holding the door open for her to exit. "Oh sorry, I- I just... spaced out." Allison apologises lamely, Diego chuckles but accepts it.

They walked together in silence to the square, Allison thinks it was because tension had started to build up around them. Little kids were crying and others to worried to say anything.

Before Allison knows it Diego is leaving her, "Wait! Where are you going." She cries out, trying to catch up with the tall boy.

Diego turns around to give her a confused look he then points to a sign saying 15M, "I'm getting signed in... you should probably do the same. Anyway good luck." And that was it, he disappeared into the crowd and leaving her alone by herself.

Come on Allison, you've read the books your not that incompetent! Go to the 13F sign. Allison tells herself and her feet begin to move without her really knowing it. She then finds herself standing in a line of what seems to be girls her age.

"Next." Grunts a peacekeeper, Allison takes two small steps and stands before the peacekeeper.

Allison winces at the pain as her skin is pricked whilst a small amount of blood leaks out. A screen to her left, pops up ALLISON BELL. "Allison Bell?" Ask the peacekeeper, Allison nods her head quickly and the peacekeeper points for her to move on.

She follows the rest of the girls and then she is put to an abrupt stop, soon later, everyone is hushed and a capitol lady comes to start the reaping.

Allison accidentally snorts at the sights of this bizarre woman, she is wearing a dairy cow patterned dress that reaches her knees and it juts out at her hips. The capitol woman is also wearing a cow bell around her neck and a wig that is shaped out as white cow horns. She has also got light pink skin, spider like fingers and unnatural plump hot pink lips. The sight of her was absolutely horrid.

"Welcome District 10, to the 167th Hunger Games!" Her capitol accent voice booms through the square and at this Allison gives another snort, in the Hunger Games movie the accents of these people didn't really fit what Allison thought it would sound like but the woman's voice is ten times better than what she thought it would be. Allison then realises her words; 167th Hunger Games! What?! I thought the rebels ended it at the 75th? And I'm in District 10, no wonder I didn't know that before. They barely describe this district in the books only that it's known for it's meat.

The Reaping carried on with a video from the dark days and a very long boring speech from the District 10 Mayor. Suddenly the capitol woman from before who Allison found out her name was Randa came back to the front of the stage, "And now the moment we've all been waiting for! The girl tribute!" Her voice continues to echo through the square and then it faded and the only nose Allison and the others could here were her brown high heels tapping against the wooden floor and then soon enough she stood in front of the bowl with obviously the girls names and fished through them.

A sudden catch of breath was let in by many of the people around Allison when Randa raised a name from the bowl, Randa made her way back over to the microphone ad unfolded it, "This years female District 10 tribute is... Allison Bell."

Allison lets out a small gasp and then finds it hard to breathe, maybe if she could crouch down a little no one will notice her but then she realises that this is the Hunger Games and this is also a dream... Hopefully.

Mummuring starts as no one has step forward as Allison Bell, and suddenly Allison decides to take in a big breath, hold in as much courage as she can and she stepped out of the crowd around her.

Randa's voice booms through the microphone again at the sight of Allison, "Oh look, oh doesn't she have a pretty face!" Shrilled Randa, Allison couldn't help but blush out of embarrassment.

Allison can hear quiet outrage from around her, obviously it was because of her being so young of age to be reaped. Allison looks up into Randa's big violet eyes and can't help but let out an almost insane laugh. Woopsie, great now they're going to think I'm a crazy person. Randa gives Allison a confused look and motions for her to hurry up to the stage.

Before Allison knows it, she has made it all the way to the stage with only one mishap and that would be the laughing but suddenly she couldn't help but start to hyperventilate in fear.

"Let's give a hand for Allison Bell." Booms Randa and as expected nobody does.


End file.
